Mobile transfer carrier

ABSTRACT

Mobile transfer carrier for use in a mining conveyor system to carry coal or ore away from a mine face. It provides an essential link in a train of conveyors where it is positioned to receive the discharge from a first bridge conveyor connected to a mining machine, and to discharge onto a second bridge conveyor which delivers to a portable conveyor moving up with the advancing mine face. The mobile transfer carrier has a conveyor frame supported on a tramming frame for mobility. The conveyor frame has a pair of elongated, parallel, horizontally spaced, unitary side rails rigidly interconnected into a single adjustable unit and has continuous track surfaces to support the discharge carriage of a bridge conveyor. The tramming frame has a pair of spaced, vertical, longitudinally extending gib plates in close, slidable engagement with the side rails to limit side movement while enabling vertical and some longitudinal movement of the conveyor frame. The conveyor frame is supported on opposite ends of the tramming frame by fore and aft pairs of transversely spaced, pivoted elevating levers. One pair of elevating levers is connected between the two frames by pivot pins to raise and lower one end of the conveyor frame while limiting fore and aft movement. The other pair of elevating levers is pivotably and slidably connected between the two frames to raise and lower the other end of the conveyor frame while enabling relative longitudinal movement between the frames to compensate for differences between the longitudinal components of movement of the two pairs of elevating levers.

United States Patent Toney MOBILE TRANSFER CARRIER [75] Inventor: DavidToney, Bluefield, W. Va.

[73] Assignee: West Virginia Armature Company, Bluefield, W. Va.

[22] Filed: May 19, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 254,935

[52] US. CL... 198/233, 198/126 [51] Int. Cl. B65g 25/08 [58] Field ofSearch 198/92, 118, 233,

Scranton 214/522 X Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk AssistantExaminer-Douglas D. Watts Att0rney.lames A. Davis et a1.

57 ABSTRACT Mobile transfer carrier for use in a mining conveyor systemto carry coal or ore away from a mine face. It provides an essentiallink in a train of conveyors 1 Jan. 1,1974

where it is positioned to receive the discharge from a first bridgeconveyor connected to a mining machine, and to discharge onto a secondbridge conveyor which delivers to a portable conveyor moving up with theadvancing mine face. The mobile transfer carrier has a conveyor framesupported on a tramming frame for mobility. The conveyor frame has apair of elongated, parallel, horizontally spaced, unitary side railsrigidly interconnected into a single adjustable unit and has continuoustrack surfaces to support the discharge carriage of a bridge conveyor.The tramming frame has a pair of spaced, vertical, longitudinallyextending gib plates in close, slidable engagement with the side railsto limit side movement while enabling vertical and some longitudinalmovement of the conveyor frame. The conveyor frame is supported onopposite ends of the tramming frame by fore and aft pairs oftransversely spaced, pivoted elevating levers. One pair of elevatinglevers is connected between the two frames by pivot pins to raise andlower one end of the conveyor frame while limiting fore and aftmovement. The other pair of elevating levers is pivotably and slid ablyconnected between the two frames to raise and lower the other end of theconveyor frame while enabling relative longitudinal movement between theframes to compensate for differences between the longitudinal componentsof movement of the two pairs of elevating levers.

5 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PAIENTED JAN 1 74 SHEET 2 [1F 6 N w 2 Q WTPAIENTEDJAN 1 3,782.536

SHEET 3 BF 6 Fig 5 PATENTEB JAN 1 I974 SHEET 4 OF 6 MOBILE TRANSFERCARRIER CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The field of the invention is generally that of beltconveyors.

In a typical underground coal mining system where the present inventioncan be used to advantage, three or more parallel rooms may be driven upsimultaneously. A mining machine, either a continuous miner or a loader,advances the mine face in each room in turn, constantly shifting fromone room to another. A short conveyor, called a bridge conveyor, has itsreceiving end pivoted beneath the discharge end of the mining machine.The bridge conveyor has a wheeled carriage at its discharge end whichrolls back and forth along tracks on a mobile transfer carrier which isanother short conveyor, but is mounted on tramming gear to make itmanueverable under its own power. The bridge conveyor carriage runs ontracks on the mobile transfer carrier and discharges at any positionfrom one end to the other depending on the extent of telescopic overlapbetween them. A second bridge conveyor is pivoted beneath the conveyordischarge end of the mobile transfer carrier and likewise has a wheeledcarriage at its discharge end which rolls back and forth along tracks ona movable floor conveyor. The latter discharges onto an extendibleoutput conveyor which transports the mined material to other conveyors.or transportation equipment to carry it out of the mine. The secondbridge conveyor discharges at any position along the length of themovable floor conveyor depending on the degree of telescopic overlapbetween them.

The telescopic overlaps provided by the two bridge conveyors enable therooms to be driven up substantial distances, and breakthroughs drivenbetween rooms in several directions. When the mine faces are advancedsufficiently to use up the overlaps mentioned, the system will be resetfor a new advance by winching the movable floor conveyor in an inbyedirection (that is, toward the faces), and the outbye conveyor will beextended correspondingly.

The mobile transfer carrier referred to above is one of the importantapplications of the present invention.

A mobile transfer carrier for such use conventionally has a conveyorwhich is in three separate sections. There is a central, fixed,horizontal section carried by and often forming an important structuralpart of the tramming frame. Receiving and discharge boom sectionspivotally mounted at the ends of the central section are independentlytiltable up and down. Chain type conveyors are used. A typical exampleof, a conventional mobile transfer carrier as employed in modern miningpractice is described and illustrated in an article appearing at page 54of the September 1971 issue of Mining Congress Journal.

Conventional mobile transfer carriers have a number of inherentdisadvantages. In the first place, the use of chain conveyors involveshigh power consumption, rapid wear, high maintenance costs, excessiveweight, and noise. Furthermore, the conventional rigid central sectionand the separately tiltable end sections are complicated and expensiveand difficult to maintain; and the fixed heights of the central sectionand of the pivotal mountings for the end boom sections seriously limitmobility in low rooms in rolling seams.

Attempts to develop mobile transfer carriers using belt type conveyorshave been unsuccessful in spite of advantages such as light weight, lowcost, and smooth, quiet operation which would result. One of the seriousproblems of using a belt type conveyor is maintaining uniform belttension and optimum frictional engagement with the driving pulley in alltilted adjustments of the end sections which are required in undergroundmining service.

SUMMARY OF THE llNVENTlON A general object of the invention is toprovide a mobile transfer carrier using a belt conveyor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mobile transfer carrierwith a belt conveyor supported to maintain a substantially uniformtension throughout a wide range of elevated and tilted operatingpositions.

Another object is to provide a mobile transfer carrier having thefollowing advantages when used with a bridge conveyor discharging ontoit:

a The conveyor frame is elevatable and tiltable as one independent,integral, rigid unit to provide a high degree of compliance with unevenfloor;

b The belt tension level and therefore the frictional engagement withthe driving pulley remains absolutely uniform at all operatingpositions; and

c The conveyor frame has a pair of parallel, continuous tracks whichsmoothly support a longitudinally movable bridge conveyor carriagebetween the receiving and discharge ends at all elevated and tiltedoperating positions.

An important feature is that separate tramming and conveyor frames areprovided, with the conveyor frame being adjustable as a unit todifferent heights and different inclinations relative to the trammingframe.

Another important feature is that the conveyor frame is pivotallymounted on elevating jacks at opposite ends of the trarnming frameenabling the conveyor frame to be raised or lowered by simultaneousoperation of the jacks, or to be tilted about one set of jacks byoperating the other set.

A further object is to provide a mobile bridge carrier in which themotor and speed reducer for the conveyor drive pulley are supported byand adjustable with the conveyor frame for movement with it to allelevated and tilted operating positions.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OIF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages willbe apparent from the following description, taken in connection with thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view in solid lines of a mobile transfer carrierembodying the present invention, being shown with other elements inbroken lines illustrating an overall conveying system for moving coalaway from a set of mine faces being driven up together;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the mobile transfer carrier shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view of FIG. 2, with portions cut away,showing one of a pair of pivotal elevating jack assemblies;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section of FIGS. 2 and 4, taken along line5-5, showing a side view of one of the pivotal elevating jackassemblies;

FIG. 5A is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, takenalong line 5A5A showing a side view of one of a pair of slidableelevating jack assemblies;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-section of FIGS. 2 and 4, taken along line66, showing an end view of one of the pivotal elevating jack assemblies;

FIG. 7 is a cut away perspective of the pivotal elevating jack assemblyshown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section of FIG. 2, taken alongline 88, showing a partial end view of one of the slidable elevatingjack assemblies shown in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, vertical cross-section of FIG. 2, taken alongline 99;

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of the mobile transfer carrier, shownin a mining environment at the bottom of a dip, with the conveyorreceiving and discharge ends both in elevated positions;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10, at the top of a roll, with theconveyor receiving and discharge ends both in lowered positions;

FIG. 12 is another view similar to FIG. 10, conveying uphill toward thetop of a roll, with the conveyor receiving and discharge ends inelevated and lowered positions respectively;

FIG. 13 is another view similar to FIG. 10, conveying downhill from thetop of a roll, with the conveyor receiving and discharge ends in loweredand elevated positions respectively;

FIG. 14 is a schematic hydraulic diagram illustrating one arrangementfor selectively controlling operation of the elevating jack assembliesto raise and lower and tilt the conveyor frame; and

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic side view, taken generally along line 15-15 ofFIG. 2, showing comparisons of the pivotal and slidable elevating jackassemblies.

Like parts are designated by like reference characters throughout thefigures in the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates a coal miningoperation in which three rooms 20, 22 and 24 are driven up together, anda mobile transfer carrier in accordance with the present invention ispart of a train of conveyors which transport mined coal away from a faceas fast as it is produced.

In FIG. 1 a continuous miner A is shown at face 26 of room 20.Alternatively, it may be a loading machine which follows a continuousminer or a conventional cutting and shooting operation. Coal produced atthe face is transported outbye, continuously as produced, by a train ofcascade conveyors, including a first bridge conveyor B, a mobiletransfer carrier C in accordance with the present invention, a secondbridge conveyor D, a portable belt conveyor E, and an extendible outputconveyor F which discharges into other conveyors or mine cars (notshown) for transport to the outside.

The first bridge conveyor B has its receiving end 28 pivotally mountedbeneath the discharge end of mining machine conveyor 30. The dischargeend of the first bridge conveyor is mounted on a wheeled carriage ordolly 32 which moves back and forth on side rails 34, 34 of the mobiletransfer carrier C.

The mobile transfer carrier C will first be described generally inconjunction with the overall mining system shown in FIG. 1. It isself-propelled on running gear shown as a pair of endless crawlers 36,36 mounted on a tramming frame 35. A central conveyor, on a conveyingframe 37 supported by the tramming frame 35, receives the discharge frombridge conveyor B at any position along its length depending on thedegree of telescopic overlap between B and C as determined by theposition of the bridge conveyor carriage 32.

The second bridge conveyor D is essentially a counterpart of B, having areceiving end 38 pivotally mounted beneath the discharge end of mobiletransfer carrier C. A wheeled carriage or dolly 40 at the discharge endruns along side rails 42, 42 of the portable belt conveyor E. The lattermay be of the kind disclosed in the above-mentioned copending patentapplication of Robert C. Nelson, Ser. No. 229,979, filed Feb. 28, 1972.

Output conveyor F may be of any type which is readily extendible as therooms are advanced.

Briefly, the system shown in FIG. 1 operates as follows: the miningmachine A moves from place to place as required to advance the rooms 20,22, 24 and drive breakthroughs 44, 46, etc. To begin an advance, bridgeconveyors B and D are telescoped substantially toward the discharge endsof the mobile transfer carrier C and the portable belt conveyor E,respectively. As the rooms are advanced, this telescopic overlap is usedup until bridge conveyor carriages 32 and 40 are near the receiving endsof C and E, as shown in FIG. I. At that time, in preparation for a newadvance, the portable belt conveyor E is winched forward (by means notshown) skidding it along the mine floor, and the output conveyor F isextended appropriately to maintain it in receiving relation withconveyor E. Mining is then resumed starting from a new position ofsubstantial overlap between the conveyors of elements B and C, and D andE.

The mobile transfer carrier C of the present invention, which is shownonly generally in the operating environment of FIG. 1, will now bedescribed in detail.

The mobile transfer carrier C comprises an elongated tramming frame 35having ground-engaging, powered tramming means including a pair ofendless crawlers 36. An elongated conveyor frame 37 is mounted for upand down and tilting movement on the tramming frame.

The tramming frame 35 comprises a crawler support housing 48 at eachside, interconnected in any suitable way, as for example by low,transverse I-beams or channels 50 (FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 8). These may bewelded or bolted in place by any suitable means (not shown). Eachcrawler support housing 48 has a vertical end wall 52 (at the right endin FIG. 3) with a pair of vertical, spaced, crawler support plates 54attached as by welding. A bearing member 56 is longitudinally slidablein an open-ended horizontal slot 58 in each plate 54. The bearingmembers 56 rotatably journal an axle shaft 60 of an idler sprocket 62for one of the endless orbitally movable crawlers 36. An adjusting screw64, supported by each plate 54, engages the corresponding bearing member56 for shifting the idler sprocket 62 to adjust the tension in thecrawler assembly in the usual manner.

Similarly, at the left or driving end of each crawler support housing48, a pair of vertically spaced crawler support plates 66 are attachedto an end wall 68. The plates 66 have open-ended slots 70 supportingbearings 72 which rotatably journal drive shaft 74 for drive sprocket76.

At the driving end, each crawler support housing 48 has a bottom plate200 with a floor extension 78 which supports a tramming drive mechanismfor the respective crawler. Each tramming drive mechanism comprises anelectric motor 80 connected to a speed reducer 02 by drive shafts 84 and86 and flexible coupling 88. Speed reducer 82 has an output shaft 90with a drive chain sprocket 92 connected through chain 94 to a drivensprocket 96 fast upon shaft 74 to drive the main crawler drive sprocket76. i

A housing 77 encloses each motor 80 and reducer 82 and is mounted on thecrawler housing floor extension 78.

As best shown in FIG. 8, an inner, vertical, gib plate 98 is mounted asby welding along the inner sides of housings 46 and 77 to provide a pairof parallel, slidable guide surfaces for the conveyor frame. The gibplates 98 limit sidewise movement while enabling freely vertical andlongitudinal movement of the conveyor frame 37 relative to the trammingframe 35.

The conveyor frame 37 has a pair of elongated, parallel, horizontallyspaced, continuous, unitary side rails 34. As best shown in FIG. 9, eachside rail 34 comprises a rectangular cross-section, hollow, box-channelmember having inner and outer side walls 100 and 102, and top and bottomwalls 104 and 106. The top surface 108 of each channel top wall 104comprises a track to rollingly support the wheels 110 of the abovedescribed first bridge conveyor carriage 32. (See FIGS. 1 and 9.)

A vertical gib plate 112 is mounted as by welding along a portion of theouter surface of each wall 102. These provide strength and wearresistance and slid ably engage the gib plates 98.

At the discharge end of the conveyor (the left end in FIGS. 2 and 3) abelt driving assembly is shown. This consists of a pair of spacedvertical extension plates 114 affixed as by welding to thevends of theside rails 34. They are rigidly interconnected by a transverse yoke 116having an opening 117 for a pivotal connecting pin (shown onlyschematically at 118 in FIG. 10). An electric motor 120 has a driveshaft 119 connected into speed reducer 122. Both are mounted on one ofthe extension plates 1 14. A beltreversing driving pulley 124 isrotatably journaled in bearings 126 fastened to the extension plates114. The pulley shaft 128 is suitably connected within the reducer 122to enable the motor 120 to drive the pulley. An idler roller 136 isrotatably journaled in bearings 136 on extension plates 114, to improvethe belt wrap and stabilize the driving tension of pulley 124. Aholddown roller 140 for a conveyor belt return run is rotatablysupported between bearingmembers 142, mounted within the respective siderails 34.

At the receiving end (the right hand end in FIGS. 2 and 3) the conveyorside rails 34 are held in fixed spaced relationship by transversebracing elements including a cross tube 144 and an end yoke 146, weldedbetween the inner walls 100.

A reversing idler pulley 148 is adjustable lengthwise of the side rails34 by suitable takeup mechanism gen erally designated 147 to tension theconveyor belt and thereby provide proper driving friction with thedischarge end pulley 124. The take-up mechanism 147 here shown iscontained within the hollow spaces in the side rails and includesbearing members 150 slidably mounted for longitudinal movement withinthe side rails by conventional hydraulic or mechanical take-up jacks152.

A conveyor belt generally designated 154 is trained for orbital movementbetween the reversing pulleys 148 and 124. As best shown in FIGS. 2, 3and 9, the upper run 156 of the conveyor belt is rollingly supported ina troughed configuration by troughing roller assemblies 158, and thelower run 160 is slidably supported on transverse struts 162.

Each troughing roller assembly 158 includes a transverse, inverted,T-bar 164 formed to provide a horizontal center section 166 (FIG. 9) andupwardly inclined end sections 168, 168. Ears 170 (on the back side inFIG. 9) carry the shaft of a center roll 1'72 and ears 174, 176 carryinclined wing rollers 178 which impart a troughed configuaration to theupper run 156. L- shaped brackets 180 are welded to the ends of eachT-bar 164, on the underside, and are held by bolts 182 to brackets 184welded to the inside walls 100 of the side rails 34.

The transverse struts 162 are slightly downwardly bowed tube members,welded to the inside walls 100. They serve a dual function, first, inproviding sliding supports for the return run 160 of the belt and,second, in providing rigid interconnections between the side rails 34.

Separate and independently operable elevating jack means are provided atlongitudinally spaced positions along the tramming frame 35. The jackmeans at the discharge end comprises a pair of pivotal elevating jackassemblies each generally designated 186. The jack means at thereceiving end comprises a pair of slidable elevating jack assemblieseach generally designated 187. These are substantially identical, exceptfor right and left hand configurations and fore and aft connections, andthe connecting details to the side rails 34. These will now bedescribed.

The pivotal elevating jack assembly 186 shown in FIGS. 4-7 is the oneillustrated at the lower left hand portion of the tramming frame shownin FIG. 2. This will be described first.

A pair of spaced, vertical connector plates 1811 with bottom triangularextensions 169 are inset in vertical slots cut in the sides of each rail34 and fastened as by welding. An elevating lever 190 is pivoted by pin192 between the plate lower ends 189. The other end of lever 190 isconnected as by welding to a rocker shaft 194 which is journaled in asplit bearing 196. The base 198 of the latter is fastened to the bottomplate 200 of the crawler support housing 48. The rocker shaft 194 isheld assembled within the bearing by means of a cap portion 202 fastenedby bolts 204.

At its opposite end, the rocker shaft 194 has an actuating lever 206fastened thereon, being shown in FIG. 5 at approximately 60 relative tothe elevating lever 190. Any other suitable angular relationship may bet employed. At its swinging end the actuating lever is pivoted by pin208 to a clevis 210 carried by piston rod 212 of cylinder 214, thelatter having an opposite bifurcated extension 216 pivoted by pin 218 toa bracket 219 upstanding from a floor plate 220 within the crawlersupport housing 48. As shown in F116. 5, the

cylinder bifurcations 216 extend through an opening 217 in an end wall68a of crawler housing 48.

As shown in solid and broken lines respectively in FlG. 15, eachelevating lever 190 is operable between upright and prone positions toadjust the elevation of conveyor side rails 34.

The slidable elevating jack assemblies 187 will now be described. Asshown, these are identical with assemblies 186 except for the followingdifferences: their cylinders 214 are fastened within crawler housings 43through openings (not shown) in end walls 520 (FIG. 2) and, instead ofan elevating lever 190, an elevating lever 190a is fastened to therocker shaft 194. At its swinging end, there is a widened cam head 195with an arcuate end surface 197 engageable with and slidable along thebottom of a wear plate 199 fastened as by welding beneath each side rail34.

With this combination of pivotal and slidable elevating jack assemblies186 and 187, either pair may be operated independently of the other orthey may be operated together. Sliding movement between the cam heads195 and the wear plates 199 will compensate for any differences betweenthe horizontal motion components of the elevating jack assemblieslengthwise of the conveyor.

Thus, each elevating lever 190 and 190a is pivoted respectively to oneside of the tramming frame 35 and one of the conveyor side rails 34.Elevating levers 190 are fastened by pins or shafts 192 and 194 whichstabilize the conveyor frame 37 against longitudinal movement relativeto the tramming frame. Elevating levers 190a provide the same kind ofpivotal support for the conveying frame, and in addition, providerelative movement, supporting the receiving end of the conveyor at anyselected height irrespective of the longitudinal position determined byelevating levers 190.

To operate one of the elevating jack assemblies 186 or 187, fluid underpressure will be directed into one of the fluid lines 222 or 224 whilefluid is returned to tank through the other by control means shown inFIG. 14. This shows a schematic fluid diagram for selectivelycontrolling the operation of the two pairs of elevating jack assemblies186 and 187.

in FIG. 14, the two elevating jack assemblies 186 which are mounted onthe crawler housing end walls 68a are shown at the left side, and thetwo elevating assemblies 187 which are mounted on the end walls 52a areshown at the right side.

A valve 232 has two separate banks 234 and 236, each with an operatinghandle 238 movable from a neutral position indicated by a solid circleto two operative positions I and I1 indicated by broken line circles. inthe neutral positions, both the valve banks may be blocked and the pump226, if running, merely bypasses through the relief valve 240 to tank230.

By moving the handle of bank 234 to the l position, fluid is drawn bythe pump from tank through suction line 242, and is directed underpressure into line 244, through the valve banks, into line 246 and lines222 leading into the head ends of cylinders 214 of the elevating jackassemblies 186 at the discahrge end of the tramming frame. Referring toFlGS. 5 and 7, this will extend both cylinders 214, and the resultingcounterclockwise rotation of the rocker shaft 194 will elevate thedischarge end of the conveyor. As the cylinders 214 so extend, fluid isdisplaced from the rod ends into interconnected lines 224, line 248, thevalve bank 234, and then to tank through line 250.

If, instead of moving handle 238 of bank 234 to 1 position, it is movedto "ll position, fluid under pressure is directed through line 248 andlines 224 into the rod ends of the cylinders 214 of the elevating jackassemblies 186 and fluid is displaced from the head ends through line246 and the valve bank 234 to tank. This contracts the discharge endcylinders 214, thereby lowering the discharge end of the conveyor.

Similarly, valve bank 236 controls the cylinders 214 at the receivingend, either to extend the cylinders 214 simultaneously thereby elevatingthe receiving end of the conveyor, or to contract the cylinders therebylowering it.

In operation, the mobile bridge carrier of the present invention isextremely simple and reliable, yet provides a very wide range of heightand tilt adjustments adapting it for mining in different grade and slopeconditions. Examples of some of these are shown in schematicrepresentations of FIGS. 1043. FIG. 10 shows both ends of the conveyorframe 37 in maximum elevated position when operating at the bottom of adip. H6. 11 shows the reverse, namely, operation at the top of aroll,.where both ends of the conveyor frame are lowered, enabling theconveyor to operate at minimum height. FIG. 12 is a situation where themobile transfer carrier is conveying uphill toward the top of a roll,the receiving end of the conveyor being elevated while the discharge endis lowered. FIG. 13 is the reverse of FIG. 12, showing the carrierconveying in a downhill direction from the top of a roll, the receivingend being lowered and the discharge end being elevated.

As shown in FIG. 14, each transverse pair of cylinders 214 are connectedin parallel. This automatically compensates for any differences whichcould rack or twist the conveyor frame when the cylinders are operatedsimultaneously.

The starting and stopping controls for the belt conveyor drive motor andthe tramming motors 81D, 80 may be conventional and because they do notform any part of the present invention, they are not specifically shown.

One of the important aspects of the present invention is the use of asingle, rigid, unitary conveyor frame, having no articulated endsections to cause change in the belt tension when the end sections areadjusted.

It will be understood that. the gib plates $8 on the tramming frame arein close, but not binding, slidable engagement with the gib plates 112on the side rails. This controls and limits sidewise movement of theconveyor frame while enabling it to be adjusted vertically at either thedischarge or receiving end, or both simultaneously.

It will also be understood that, when eievating levers are swung bytheir respective power cylinders 214, they impart both horizontal andvertical components of movement to pivot pins 192. Thus, verticaladjustment of the discharge end of the conveyor is accompanied by somelongitudinal movement, the magnitude of which depends on the are throughwhich the elevating levers are swung. Actuation of the elevating jackassemblies 187 at the receiving end alone causes the conveyor frame totilt about the pivot pins 192 at the other end while sliding the camheads 195 under the wear plates 199.

Actuation of the elevating jack assemblies 186 at the discharge endalone causes the conveyor frame to tilt about the arcuate cam surfaces197 on the cam heads 195 while moving the conveyor frame longitudinallyand causing the wear plates l99 to slide on the cam surfaces 197.Actuation of both elevating jack assemblies 186 and lid? (in the samedirection) causes both ends of the conveyor frame to elevate or lowersimultaneously accompanied by sliding movement between the cam surfaces197 and the wear plates 199.

While one form in which the present invention may i be embodied has beenshown and described, it will be understood that various modificationsand variations thereof may be effected without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a mobile transfer carrier adapted to support the dischargecarriage of a bridge conveyor for longitudinal movement therealong:

an elongated tramming frame having groundengaging, powered trammingmeans to provide mobility for said carrier;

an elongated conveyor frame adjustably mounted on said tramming frame;

said conveyor frame conprising a pair of elongated,

parallel, horizontally spaced, continuous, unitary side rails rigidlyinterconnected to provide an integral unit having a pair of upwardlydisposed track surfaces to support and guide a bridge conveyor carriagefor movement therealong;

said conveyor frame having transverse belt reversing pulleys at oppositeends journaled for rotation between said side rails and havingtransverse belt supporting members intermediate said pulleys to supportan endless conveyor belt for orbital movement between said pulleys inupper and lower runs, and power means for rotatably driving one of saidpulleys;

guide means between saidframes limiting sidewise movement of saidconveyor frame relative to said tramming frame but enabling verticaladjustment of said conveyor frame relative to said tramming frame;

separate and independently operable pairs of transwhereby simultaneousoperation of both pairs of said elevating assemblies adjusts theelevation of the entire conveyor frame as a unit, and operation ofeither pair of said elevating assemblies relative to the other pair ofelevating assemblies adjusts the inclination of said entire conveyorframe as a unit about said other pair of elevating assemblies.

2. In a mobile transfer carrier adapted to support the dischargecarriage of a bridge conveyor for longitudinal movement therealong:

an elongated tramming frame having groundengaging, powered trammingmeans to provide mobility for said carrier;

an elongated conveyor frame adjiustably mounted on said tramming frame;

said conveyor frame comprising a pair of elongated, parallel,horizontally spaced, continuous, unitary side rails rigidlyinterconnected to provide an integral unit having a pair of upwardlydisposed track surfaces to support and guide a bridge conveyor carriagefor movement therealong;

said conveyor frame having transverse belt reversing pulleys at oppositeends journaled for rotation between said side rails and havingtransverse belt supporting members intermediate said pulleys to sup portan endless conveyor belt for orbital movement between said pulleys inupper and lower runs, and power means for rotatably driving one of saidpulleys;

guide means between said frames limiting sidewise movement of saidconveyor framerelative to said tramming frame but enabling verticaladjustment of said conveyor frame relative to said tramming frame;

separate and independently operable elevating jack means atlongitudinally spaced positions along said tramming frame, each of saidelevating jack means comprises a pair of separate, transversely spacedelevating levers having opposite ends pivotally engaged respectivelywith said frames, one of said pairs of elevating levers includingconnections limiting longitudinal movement of said frames and the otherof said pairs of elevating levers including connections enablinglongitudinal movement between said frames, and power means for movingeach pair of elevating levers tochange the elevation of thecorresponding end ofsaid conveyor frame.

3. In a mobile transfer carrier, the combination of claim 2 in whichsaid one of said pairs of elevating levers are connected by pivot shaftsto both said frames and said other of said pairs of elevating leversinclude cam members having arcuate surfaces engageable with one of saidframes.

4. In a mobile transfer carrier, the combination of claim 2 in whichsaid one of said pairs of elevating levers are connected by pivot shaftsto both said frames, and each of said other of said pairs of elevatinglevers is connected by a pivot shaft to one of said frames and isconnected through a cam member to the other of said frames.

5. In a mobile transfer carrier adapted to support the dischargecarriage of a bridge conveyor for longitudinal movement therealong:

an elongated tramming frame having groundengaging, powered trammingmeans to provide mobility for said carrier;

an elongated conveyor frame adjustably mounted on said tramming frame;

said conveyor frame comprising a pair of elongated,

parallel, horizontally spaced, continuous, unitary side rails rigidlyinterconnected to provide an integral unit having a pair of upwardlydisposed track surfaces to support and guide a bridge conveyor carriagefor movement therealong;

said conveyor frame having transverse belt reversing pulleys at oppositeends journaled for rotation between said side rails and havingtransverse belt supporting members intermediate said pulleys to supportan endless conveyor belt for orbital movement between said pulleys inupper and lower runs, and power means for rotatably driving one of saidpulleys; guide means between said frames limiting sidewise movement'ofsaid conveyor frame relative to said tramming frame but enablingvertical adjustment of said conveyor frame relative to said trammingframe; separate and independently operable elevating jack means atlongitudinally spaced positions along said tramming frame, each of saidelevating jack means including an elevating lever having opposite endswhereby simultaneous operation of both of said jack means adjusts theelevation of the entire conveyor frame as a unit, and operation ofeither of said jack means relative to the other jack means adjusts theinclination of said entire conveyor frame as a unit about said otherjack means.

1. In a mobile transfer carrier adapted to support the dischargecarriage of a bridge conveyor for longitudinal movement therealong: anelongated tramming frame having ground-engaging, powered tramming meansto provide mobility for said carrier; an elongated conveyor frameadjustably mounted on said tramming frame; said conveyor frameconprising a pair of elongated, parallel, horizontally spaced,continuous, unitary side rails rigidly interconnected to provide anintegral unit having a pair of upwardly disposed track surfaces tosupport and guide a bridge conveyor carriage for movement therealong;said conveyor frame having transverse belt reversing pulleys at oppositeends journaled for rotation between said side rails and havingtransverse belt supporting members intermediate said pulleys to supportan endless conveyor belt for orbital movement between said pulleys inupper and lower runs, and power means for rotatably driving one of saidpulleys; guide means between said frames limiting sidewise movement ofsaid conveyor frame relative to said tramming frame but enablingvertical adjustment of said conveyor frame relative to said trammingframe; separate and independently operable pairs of transversely spacedelevating assemblies at longitudinally spaced positions along saidtramming frame, each of said elevating assemblies including an elevatinglever having opposite ends pivoted respectively to one side of saidtramming frame and to one of said side rails, and each of said elevatingassemblies including power means carried by one of said frames forrocking the corresponding elevating lever to adjust the elevation of thecorresponding section of said conveyor frame, one pair of said elevatingassemblies including means enabling longitudinal movement of saidconveyor frame relative to said tramming frame; whereby simultaneousoperation of both pairs of said elevating assemblies adjusts theelevation of the entire conveyor frame as a unit, and operation ofeither pair of said elevating assemblies relative to the other pair ofelevating assemblies adjusts the inclination of said entire conveyorframe as a unit about said other pair of elevating assemblies.
 2. In amobile transfer carrier adapted to support the discharge carriage of abridge conveyor for longitudinal movement therealong: an elongatedtramming frame having ground-engaging, powered tramming means to providemobility for said carrier; an elongated conveyor frame adjustablymounted on said tramming frame; said conveyor frame conprising a pair ofelongated, parallel, horizontally spaced, continuous, unitary side railsrigidly interconnected to provide an integral unit having a pair ofupwardly disposed track surfaces to support and guide a bridge conveyorcarriage for movement therealong; said conveyor frame having transversebelt reversing pulleys at opposite ends journaled for rotation betweensaid side rails and having transverse belt supporting membersintermediate said pulleys to support an endless conveyor belt fororbital movement between said pulleys in upper and lower runs, and powermeans for rotatably driving one of said pulleys; guide means betweensaid frames limiting sidewise movement of said conveyor frame relativeto said tramming frame but enabling vertical adjustment of said conveyorframe relative to said tramming frame; separate and independentlyoperable elevating jack means at longitudinally spaced positions alongsaid tramming frame, each of said elevating jack means comprises a pairof separate, transversely spaced elevating levers having opposite endspivotally engaged respectively with said frames, one of said pairs ofelevating levers including connections limiting longitudinal movement ofsaid frames and the other of said pairs of elevating levers includingconnections enabling longitudinal movement between said frames, andpower means for moving each pair of elevating levers to change theelevation of the corresponding end of said conveyor frame.
 3. In amobile transfer carrier, the combination of claim 2 in which said one ofsaid pairs of elevating levers are connected by pivot shafts to bothsaid frames and said other of said pairs of elevating levers include cammembers having arcuate surfaces engageable with one of said frames. 4.In a mobile transfer carrier, the combination of claim 2 in which saidone of said pairs of elevating levers are connected by pivot shafts toboth said frames, and each of said other of said pairs of elevatinglevers is connected by a pivot shaft to one of said frames and isconnected through a cam member to the other of said frames.
 5. In amobile transfer carrier adapted to support the discharge carriage of abridge conveyor for longitudinal movement therealong: an elongatedtramming frame having ground-engaging, powered tramming means to providemobility for said carrier; an elongated conveyor frame adjustablymounted on said tramming frame; said conveyor frame comprising a pair ofelongated, parallel, horizontally spaced, continuous, unitary side railsrigidly interconnected to provide an integral unit having a pair ofupwardly disposed track surfaces to support and guide a bridge conveyorcarriage for movement therealong; said conveyor frame having transversebelt reversing pulleys at opposite ends journaled for rotation betweensaid side rails and having transverse belt supporting membersintermediate said pulleys to support an endless conveyor belt fororbital movement between said pulleys in upper and lower runs, and powermeans for rotatably driving one of said pulleys; guide means betweensaid frames limiting sidewise movement of said conveyor frame relativeto said tramming frame but enabling vertical adjustment of said conveyorframe relative to said tramming frame; separate and independentlyoperable elevating jack means at longitudinally spaced positions alongsaid tramming frame, each of said elevating jack means including anelevating lever having opposite ends pivoted respectively to saidtramming frame and to said conveyor frame, and each of said jack meansincluding power means carried by one of said frames for Rocking thecorresponding elevating lever to adjust the elevation of thecorresponding section of said conveyor frame, one of said jack meansincluding means enabling longitudinal movement of said conveyor framerelative to said tramming frame; whereby simultaneous operation of bothof said jack means adjusts the elevation of the entire conveyor frame asa unit, and operation of either of said jack means relative to the otherjack means adjusts the inclination of said entire conveyor frame as aunit about said other jack means.